diff --git a/doc/fixes35.0 b/doc/fixes35.0
index 848785534..7004ad92a 100644
--- a/doc/fixes35.0
+++ b/doc/fixes35.0
@@ -245,6 +245,7 @@ fix sequencing issues with dropping #invoked Heart of Ahriman
 applying an unpaid stack of potions of oil forced hero to buy all of them
 	instead of just the one which got split off and lit
 sometimes when hero is forced to buy an unpaid shop item its price changed
+monster could attack with a polearm even after attempt to wield that failed
 
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific Fixes
diff --git a/src/mthrowu.c b/src/mthrowu.c
index a72c3ed65..943501d04 100644
--- a/src/mthrowu.c
+++ b/src/mthrowu.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)mthrowu.c	3.5	2007/03/17	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)mthrowu.c	3.5	2007/06/07	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -499,6 +499,7 @@ struct monst *mtmp;
 	if (is_pole(otmp)) {
 	    int dam, hitv;
 
+	    if (otmp != MON_WEP(mtmp)) return;	/* polearm must be wielded */
 	    if (dist2(mtmp->mx, mtmp->my, mtmp->mux, mtmp->muy) > POLE_LIM ||
 		    !couldsee(mtmp->mx, mtmp->my))
 		return;	/* Out of range, or intervening wall */
diff --git a/src/weapon.c b/src/weapon.c
index 4893f3fbc..9f9c4d6ab 100644
--- a/src/weapon.c
+++ b/src/weapon.c
@@ -384,6 +384,8 @@ select_rwep(mtmp)	/* select a ranged weapon for the monster */
 register struct monst *mtmp;
 {
 	register struct obj *otmp;
+	struct obj *mwep; 
+	boolean mweponly;
 	int i;
 
 #ifdef KOPS
@@ -399,13 +401,19 @@ register struct monst *mtmp;
 	if(throws_rocks(mtmp->data))	/* ...boulders for giants */
 	    Oselect(BOULDER);
 
-	/* Select polearms first; they do more damage and aren't expendable */
+	/* Select polearms first; they do more damage and aren't expendable.
+	   But don't pick one if monster's weapon is welded, because then
+	   we'd never have a chance to throw non-wielding missiles. */
 	/* The limit of 13 here is based on the monster polearm range limit
 	 * (defined as 5 in mthrowu.c).  5 corresponds to a distance of 2 in
 	 * one direction and 1 in another; one space beyond that would be 3 in
 	 * one direction and 2 in another; 3^2+2^2=13.
 	 */
-	if (dist2(mtmp->mx, mtmp->my, mtmp->mux, mtmp->muy) <= 13 && couldsee(mtmp->mx, mtmp->my)) {
+	mwep = MON_WEP(mtmp);
+	/* NO_WEAPON_WANTED means we already tried to wield and failed */
+	mweponly = (mwelded(mwep) && mtmp->weapon_check == NO_WEAPON_WANTED);
+	if (dist2(mtmp->mx, mtmp->my, mtmp->mux, mtmp->muy) <= 13 &&
+		couldsee(mtmp->mx, mtmp->my)) {
 	    for (i = 0; i < SIZE(pwep); i++) {
 		/* Only strong monsters can wield big (esp. long) weapons.
 		 * Big weapon is basically the same as bimanual.
@@ -415,7 +423,8 @@ register struct monst *mtmp;
 			|| !objects[pwep[i]].oc_bimanual) &&
 		    (objects[pwep[i]].oc_material != SILVER
 			|| !mon_hates_silver(mtmp))) {
-		    if ((otmp = oselect(mtmp, pwep[i])) != 0) {
+		    if ((otmp = oselect(mtmp, pwep[i])) != 0 &&
+			    (otmp == mwep || !mweponly)) {
 			propellor = otmp; /* force the monster to wield it */
 			return otmp;
 		    }
@@ -674,7 +683,7 @@ register struct monst *mon;
 			} else {
 			    pline("%s tries to wield %s.", Monnam(mon),
 				doname(obj));
-			    pline("%s %s!", yname(mw_tmp), welded_buf);
+			    pline("%s %s!", Yname2(mw_tmp), welded_buf);
 			}
 			mw_tmp->bknown = 1;
 		    }